Many electrical and mechanical connections are formed by two connectors which press or slide together. As a result, they may subject to becoming disconnected if they are vibrated or bumped. To solve this problem, locking connectors have been provided, but addition of a locking feature may be expensive.
In many situations, disconnection of connectors can have negative consequences. For example, if a portable computer is connected to an external battery, loss of power can result in a loss of valuable data. One type of electrical connection that is often used with cellular telephones and laptop computers is the "cigarette lighter" type consisting of a cylindrical socket and an elongate mating plug. Typically both the socket and the plug are mounted on the end of cables, so that when connected they are still free to move about. Users have found that the plug tends to "back out" of the socket until electrical contact is broken. Providing a locking device for such a connection has been very difficult because, even though the actual socket and inserted end of the plug have a standard configuration, the connectors as a whole are made in a wide variety of different shapes.
Thus, there is a need for an inexpensive device for preventing unintended disconnection of connectors. There is also a need for such a device that can be utilized with a wide variety of connectors of differing shapes, and is effective when one of the connectors of a particular connection is replaced with a substitute connector having a different shape.